William waved his hand, entrusting the follow-up matters on North Brother Island entirely to his newly appointed "Security Supervisor."
The joy of being a hands-off boss was truly this simple.
After arranging everything, William settled into the "Chairman's Office."
The boss, slumped on the sofa, was experiencing a brand-new power.
He felt as if his body had become a solar charging panel.
The ubiquitous, yet incredibly faint and negligible, cosmic rays in the air were like trickles of electricity.
William even felt like he could now run two laps around Brooklyn, then come back and write a three-hundred-page PPT.
"Is this what it feels like to have 'Krypton Gold'—oh no, to have a membership card?"
William couldn't help but let out a satisfied groan.
This cheat was more effective than any kidney tonic.
He took a can of ice-cold cola from the fridge, pulled the tab, and the bubbles hissed.
It was time for a comprehensive review of his makeshift company.
"Rodriguez Risk Management Co., Ltd.... sounds respectable, but in reality, its core assets are just a few things."
He pulled out a pen and scribbled on a notepad.
The only true "asset" of the company was the island beneath his feet.
A super prison built by S.H.I.E.L.D. with immense investment, it had now become his "overseas R&D center and high-net-worth client sanatorium."
And the company's employees... Security Supervisor: Emil Blonsky, former supervillain, codenamed Abomination, currently in a state of biding his time for revenge as a wage earner.
Trainee Risk Specialists: Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson.
One a troubled girl, the other an introverted boy.
Their superpowers were cool, but their psychological issues were higher than the company's registered capital.
"If this were a startup, it would probably go bankrupt before even getting an Angel round."
William shook his head self-deprecatingly; fortunately, the investors were himself, Tony, and S.H.I.E.L.D.
There was no risk of bankruptcy.
He took a big gulp of cola, the icy liquid sliding down his throat, and his thoughts became clearer.
There were still too few clients.
For the company's business to grow, new markets had to be explored and new clients acquired.
Before, he was a nobody; he had to rely on chance encounters and information asymmetry to meet superpowered individuals.
But now it was different; he was, after all, a man with an "island," and he had gained some reputation in certain specific circles.
William's gaze fell on the second item on his notepad's to-do list.
Dr. Lizard's moving arrangements.
It was time to bring over our company's future Chief Scientist of Biotechnology.
He couldn't ask Happy for this; Stark Industries' business scope didn't include cross-state escort of potential biohazards.
There was only one most suitable person.
William picked up his phone and dialed the familiar number.
"Phil."
"William."
The voice on the other end of the phone was as steady as ever.
"Your new 'Security Supervisor' is adapting quite well. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s assessment report indicates his mental state has stabilized by fifty percent, and his aggressive tendencies have decreased by seventy percent. How exactly did you manage that?"
"Trade secret, Phil."
William chuckled lightly, cutting straight to the chase.
"But I called you to tell you some good news. Our company's research park on North Brother Island is about to welcome its first heavyweight academic titan."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
Coulson was clearly analyzing the true meaning hidden behind the words "research park" and "academic titan."
"Who?"
"Dr. Curtis Connors."
William said in a tone befitting a Nobel Prize announcement, "A top expert in the field of reptilian genetics. Our company has decided to hire him as a lifelong researcher and provide him with full scientific support."
Coulson's breathing audibly hitched for a moment.
"The Dr. who was kicked out by Oscorp?"
"Please mind your words, Phil. That is a brave Dr. with a spirit of scientific exploration."
William corrected him righteously.
"What we value is precisely his spirit of scientific research that fears no difficulties."
"So?"
Coulson's voice held a hint of helplessness.
"So, I need your help arranging the 'talent introduction' process. Dr. Connors is currently on the West Coast."
William's tone was sincere, "I need a transportation plan. Ideally, direct from Los Angeles to our island's dock."
Coulson went completely silent.
He understood.
This scoundrel William wanted S.H.I.E.L.D. to be his free armed escort company!
And he couldn't even refuse.
After a long pause, Coulson's voice finally sounded again, "We will 'invite' Dr. Connors to New York for an academic exchange."
"I knew you were a generous friend, Phil!" William laughed, "Pleasure working with you!"
Hanging up the phone, William stretched contentedly.
Done!
Next, it was his two "trainee specialists" who were still being left to their own devices.
He pulled out his phone and sent a message in the chat group with only four people.
A few minutes later, Tandy came into his office, yawning and looking annoyed.
Tyrone followed her like a shadow.
"What is it now, boss?"
Tandy's tone was full of the resentment of a capitalist victim, "It's my statutory break time right now."
"In the early stages of a startup, don't worry about 996; we need a spirit of dedication."
William clapped his hands, motioning for them to sit on the sofa.
He pointed to the screen on the wall, which displayed a map of New York City.
Over a dozen locations were marked with red dots.
"Alright, my trainee specialists. Your paid internship officially begins now."
Tandy and Tyrone's gazes were both drawn to the map.
"This is your first work assignment."
William pointed at the map, his expression as serious as if he were giving a pre-war mobilization speech.
"I call it the 'Urban Potential Client Discovery Program.'"
"Huh?"
Tandy uttered a single-syllable question.
"Simply put, market research."
William switched screens, showing some blurry surveillance screenshots, handwritten eyewitness reports, and newspaper clippings.
"Queens, witnesses claim to have seen a person with metal wings soaring high above. Hell's Kitchen, that red-clothed demon, ignore him. Bronx, someone found giant bite marks in the sewers, suspecting a mutant alligator..."
William pointed at these materials, exuding a strong urban legend vibe.
"Your mission is to confirm or debunk these rumors."
"I don't need you to make contact with the targets, and absolutely no conflicts are allowed. What you need to do is observe, record, and evaluate."
He slapped two printed forms onto the table.
"These are the 'Potential Client Risk Assessment and Preliminary Business Value Analysis Forms.'"
William cleared his throat and read, "Target Codename, Ability Overview, Personality Analysis, Potential Threat Level, and most importantly... Estimated Insurance Potential."
Tandy picked up the form, her eyes twitching as she looked at the densely packed entries.
This thing was more complicated than her most hated exam paper from school.
"Our job is to track these weirdos?"
"It's to conduct market due diligence."
William was serious.
"Tandy, your Dagger of light is precise, silent, suitable for long-distance observation and marking."
"Tyrone, your Dark Dimension is the safest intelligence post and evacuation route in this World. The two of you are a natural market research combination."
These words made even the usually silent Tyrone slightly raise his head.
"This is your operational fund."
William pushed a credit card over.
"Accommodation and transportation are your responsibility; remember to get receipts and I'll reimburse you when you return."
Tandy looked at the credit card, then at William, her expression incredibly complex.
Just a few days ago, they were homeless street children, and today they were going to be wearing suits and ties... oh no, wearing hoodies to be commercial spies?
This job sounded so unreliable, yet... damn it, a little exciting?
"Remember, safety first."
William finally admonished, "If a client is lost, we can find another, but if something happens to the two of you, I'll have to spend money to bail you out, and that's not cost-effective."
Watching the two teenagers leave the office with the forms and funds, looking like they "didn't quite understand but felt it was very impressive," William finally showed a satisfied smile.
Abomination was responsible for guarding the base, Dr. Lizard for technological research and development, and Cloak and Dagger for market expansion.
Very good.
His Rodriguez Risk Management Company finally looked a bit like a real company.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded over 40 chapters of this story on Patreon.
If you're enjoying it and want to read ahead, feel free to check them out here:
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thanks a lot for your support, it really helps me keep going.